Torn between returning to a Couples resort or visiting a new destination!!?

My girlfriend and I visited CTI in May and ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!

It's getting time for us to get serious about vacation planning for 2012 and we are torn on what to do. On one hand we loved our experience at CTI. The laid back atmosphere, food, drinks, Island, and curteous staff made us absolutely want to return. On the other hand, we are younger and think we should see other corners of the world.

My question to all the fellow Couples customers, how do you decide between returning to where you had a blast your previous vacation or adventuring to new places?

You have to decide your needs for that trip....
We decide do we want adventure (possibly new destination) or
do we want relaxation:) If its relaxation, we prefer a nice beach, so for us it's CN.
Perhaps you can choose the Negril side and either CSA or CN ?

I'll tell you this....I decided NOT to return to Couples this year and regretted it for months. We never return to the same destination but there's something about Couples that keeps us coming back. While we enjoyed our vacation to the "new" destination, I came back feeling unfulfilled. Lucky for me, my husband felt the same way AND we had some money to spare so we booked Couples. Now less than two months later we are taking another vacation, this time to the place we should have booked all along. Don't make the same mistake I did and regret your decision so much that it ruins your vacation. Will you have a good time wherever you go? Very likely. Will the alternate destination fulfill you the same way Couples does? I don't know about you, but it certainly didn't for us! Two more weeks until we are HOME!!

Great question and one dilemma that I'm sure many others have shared, us included. I do not think "age" is a factor at all in this dilemma. We went to CN for the first time in 2010. Loved this experience so much that we went to CSA in 2/2011. Again loved this resort; however, there are so many islands so little time that we decided to book St. Lucia in 2/2012; BUT...and there's always a "but". We are already talking about how soon we can go back to COUPLES Negril, Jamaica and of course we'd like to retain our status as a repeater. At this time, it appears that we will most likely rotate COUPLES -Negril/Swept Away on an every other year basis UNLESS we are fortunate enough to take two beach vacations in one calendar year. COUPLES RESORTS are definitely "special" and a place we hope to return to, again and again. Good Luck and Happy Travels!

Great question, we always over analyze when me and the wife decide on a vacation. The only place I can honestly recommend that was amazing is Hamanassi. If you search and look at trip advisor reviews, you will know why. If you are looking for Tropical or beaches, I would say Belize, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Turks and Caicos, etc. But if you just want to discover new culture and a totally different experience, your choices widen out. Obviously, Europe is great, but I am not a huge fan of spending that much money and really don't care for the food. Just my thoughts... We came really close to returning to Hamanassi 2 years in a row, but decided to change it up.. I don't think is bad at all going to CTI again

I would suggest you try a different Couples resort. CTI was also our first Couples experience in July 2007 and since then we've been to Couples 4 more times (CN once and CSS 3X in a row), with our 6th trip coming up in January - and we're heading back to CTI this time. We're also young and like new experiences and adventure, but we've done lots of research and thinking about other places, and for a relaxing vacation we keep returning to Couples for many, many reasons.

We've had many discussions like this also. We're 25 and don't have children yet so we also always throw that into the discussion too - which trips can we take with children, which do we want to do before we have children, etc.

We ended up making a list of destinations we wanted to visit in the next few years, then we separated them with beach trips to Couples : ) Last month we went to Ireland, in 2012 we're heading back to CSA and the plan to is head back to Europe after that.

We were pretty sure that's what we wanted to do and after Ireland we were positive. We loved every minute of the adventure in Ireland but its very different from a week on the beach - something special about both and I need the balance! Have fun figuring it out! A good problem to have, right? : )

After going to CN twice now, we were looking at more diving-oriented locations like Belize, Bonaire, Roatan, Grand Cayman, Turks & Caicos, etc, for our 10th Anniversary this year. We deliberated for about 2 months earlier this summer and after analyzing all of the pros and cons involved, we are going back to CN, but for 10 days, instead of our usual 7. And, like you said, it's hard not to go back to a place that you had such a blast at.

We are in our mid-30s and after speaking to several couples that have been to both the OR side and the Negril side, we have found that the Negril side has more of a younger atmosphere, no cruise ship stops, better diving, more active & softer beaches, and more non-touristy stuff to do off-resort, if that's what you're looking for. Just food for thought, but you may want to try the Negril side, since there are 2 Couples resorts there and you know you love that lifestyle.

We go to Couples alternate years - one year two weeks at Couples, the following year two weeks somewhere else. It works for us.

This is tough cause we used to go through the same thing every year. We keep saying that there are other places in the world besides Jamaica so maybe we should do Europe, or Dominican Republic, or Bahamas, etc. We go through all the research and even some planning and every year we end up back at Couples LOL. I guess we just feel that it has become "our place" and we really dont think we would be happy doing something else because we would be comparing it to Couples which is perfect to us. And Europe just seems like so much work and just exhausting...lol So we figure why fix something that isnt broken. So it is tough cause there is a whole world out there to see and we finally just stopped and just realized this is where we need to be every year so we dont bother looking anywhere else anymore. Its complete vacation, relaxed, we have our own routine while there, so we leave stress free because we know what to expect and we come home refreshed. Maybe try doing Couples every other year so that year in between you can experience something else..?? Just a suggestion. :) Someday we will do that Europe trip, as long as it doesnt interfere with my trip to CSA! lol ;)

We had the same dilema this fall . Question was to go away for Chrisistmas some where different as we are booked for our regular 2 weeks in Feb 2012 at CN . But the answer was Easy

CHRISTMAS IN NEGRIL

Good question and good answers. Do you go to your favorite restaurant or try a new one? If the new one sucks, youre out $50, as far as vacations, youre out $3500. My wife and I also talked about COuples, then somewhere else, then couples...etc. I'd like to see alot of different places, but if I know I'll feel great in Negril, it's hard to argue with that. I've heard some horror stories and don't want to feel like I've blown that kind of $... I've always said, I'd like to see new places, but I'll never argue about going back to Jamaica

Oh and I also want to add that I agree with trying a different side of the island. Negril is absolutely breathtaking and because you are repeaters, you can try both CN and CSA. We were CN die hards until we tried CSA for our single day trade. Now we are making our first trip to CSA in less than two weeks...yippee!!!

I hear you. It’s our dilemma too. Do we go back to Couples for our annual winter vacation, or do we try somewhere new? As much as we love Couples and Jamaica, we do enjoy experiencing new destinations. The down side is that once you’ve gone to a Couples resort you get quite spoiled, and it’s the resorts in other destinations that can be a letdown. For example, since CSA, we went to Turks & Caicos and loved the beach, but the resort was another story. Then we went on a cruise and enjoyed sampling so many islands, but didn’t really enjoy the ship aspect like we did being at Couples. So we went back to Couples but to different ones. This year is our "off year" so we're going to experience the outdoor adventures and wildlife of Costa Rica. I'm excited about the destination, but I admit I'm a bit nervous about the resort letting me down. We have decided that when we go to Jamaica it’s definitely Couples all the way. We just have CN left to try (next time) before we start all over again. :)
You’re young, so it’s crazy (for me, since I love to travel) to expect you’ll spend the rest of your life going to the same resort in the same destination. But alternating is good. If you haven’t been to Negril, I suggest trying it out by going to CSA or CN. Even trying CSS would give you quite a different experience to CTI.

P.S.... Just thinking... wouldn't it be great if there were Couples resorts all over the world? I mean, I KNOW that they aren't opening up all over, and that being a Jamaica based/owned resort is part of what makes them special... BUT.... personally, I would love it if I could experience new tropical destinations, yet have the comfort of knowing we were going to another Couples resort where we'd know what to expect... you know what I mean?

I have been all over the world and to lots of resorts. Couples does one thing we have never found else were. They treat you like you are king and queen and it is not based on a room class or what ever.

Couples TREATS YOU RIGHT, NOT like the others. GO you will be back.

Same problem last year. Decided to try the other side of the island for our next vacation, and loved the resorts in Ocho as much as Negril. Try Negril, CSA or CN, it is a completely different experience, with wonderful Couples staff. You will not be sorry.

This is exactly our dilema. I've been to couples 3 times. Hubby and I are trying to decide on a honeymoon. We want to have a baby soon, so this will be our last vacation for just the two of is for a bit. We love couples, and are terrified to try any other ai resort, so we are lost. I've spent hours and hours on the Internet trying to find something that might convince us that it is a better choice than couples. Ugh!

If you want to try somewhere new why do you have to go any place else. Couples has four different resorts on the Island. Each one is different in their own right. If you want to try the beach go to the Negril side. We perfer CN but have visited CSA and it is beautiful. On the Ocho Rios side we perfer to stay in CSS. This will be our eighth time to Couples and we have had that booked for almost a year.
We have traveled to five other islands and we will always come back to Couples. You loved your first visit and you will find every one is as exciting as the last. They will all be different in their own way but will always find the wonderful staff, the beautiful resorts, the best food and bountiful drinks, Coupled with top notched entertainment every night.
And don't forget you never have to touch your wallet while you are there on the resort.
If you feel you need a change, try the other side of the Island. You won't be disappointed.
Phinns Up!

Wow! This thread really took off. Thanks to everyone for all of the great insight and advice. My girlfriend and I reached out to anther couple we befriended this past May and it looks like we have banded together and want to return to couples!! We are leaning towards CTI because we all loved it last time, but are open to new couples resorts.

Please, keep sharing your thoughts on how you decide to visit a new destination or return to your favorite couples resort!

Yes, we would like to try the other side. Cti is what calls to us, so we may just try secret rendezvous. We love how spoiled we are with the service, food, and recreations, but also would like to be adventurous and see more of the world than couples Jamaica. That being said, we keep coming back to it as a honeymoon possibility. Going back to couples is not an if question, it is a when. I'm so grateful for couples. Randymon, could you sway us and post a sweet weds special for sr? Thanks!

We have just starting our travelling without kids, and went to CSS two years ago. We had decided to travel around, and were looking at other destinations last year, and finally gave up when we realized we were comparing them to CSS. So this year we are going back to CSS, next year to CSA and then maybe CN. We are looking for relaxation, and a no-care vacation. CSS definately gave us that.

It's an interesting dilema for sure.....'better the devil you know than the devil you don't' me thinks! Especially at this level of money involved.
Just spent our honeymoon at CSA (25th Sept to 9th Oct 2011) and simply had the most incredible time.
My husband had never been out of Europe before, where as I have been fortunate to travel and backpack over 25 countries....it took us 5 weeks to finally decide where to go....and as 'unadventurous' as it might sound we both feel that we will always return to CSA now (just gotta get away with the odd bank robbery tho! LOL).
I guess alot depends on what you're looking for....we have made so many great friends at the hotel and would feel sad not to take any available opportunity to catch up, hang out, enjoy their company and find out how their families are doing.
Two weeks for us wasn't long enough....we're not 8 hour a day 'sun worshippers' and we never ran out of things to do and great people to have fun with... we haven't even managed to explore the vast sports facility across the road yet! (oh except for our 'strenuous' complimentary massage...it was that good I'm suprised my hubby is not still lying there!)
As the years go by we're looking forward to getting to know much more of Jamaica and it's lovely people....you could say we feel like we've found our 'second home'.
If it aint broken...why fix it???
Here's to adoring Jamaica, CSA and all the guys we are now friends with xx

You could always try the Negril side of the island and go to CSA or CN. I've been to CSA and CTI and they are worlds apart as far as resorts go. Same great service and inclusions, but totally different settings and the beach is the most beautiful you'll ever see. Good luck deciding.

We were at CN in September for our first experience with Couples and LOVED IT!!!! We had already booked September 2012 (to get the early bird $300 resort credit) and thought the idea of waiting a whole year was going to be hard.

Then we just decided to do another trip in May 2012 for our anniversary. Wow! 3 trips in one year?? (We are about to pay off our mortgage in December and I said we can afford it and should travel while we are young (mid-50's) and able.

I did all sorts of research (Bermuda, Bahamas, Cozumel, etc) and guess what? We're booking Couples Negril again. :) My husband is like "we'll be there in May and then again 4 months later in September???" Yup, CN twice in one year. Gotta love it. Other places were costing about the same and didn't include the scuba diving.

We are avid divers and love that we can dive 11 times in one week for free. Plus the guys at the Dive Centre are excellent. Our favourite is Jovane as he is super friendly and oh so helpful.

I'd rather go to a place I know will be great than try the unknown. And I am assuming as repeaters it will be even better!

We are off to Cozumel in January but that is strictly a dive vacation statying at a dedicated dive resort. Though meals are included it is not an AI and I know I will be comparing it all week to CN.